Four Geelong Swimming Club (GSC) athletes will represent Australia at the 2022 Virtus Oceania Asia Games (OA Games 2022).
Ryan McGrane, Phoebe Mitchell, Bradley Doolan and Madeline Fox have been selected in the team of 41 to compete at the Games from November 5 to 11 in Brisbane.
The 2022 Virtus Oceania Asia Games is an international multisport event for elite athletes with intellectual impairment and will be delivered by Sports Inclusion Australia.
Athletes from 25 nations will compete in swimming, cycling, badminton, basketball, judo, rowing, sailing, taekwondo and triathlon.
GSC coach Sadat-Jon Hussain has been selected as part of the Australian coaching team. “Inclusion is a cornerstone of our club,” Hussain, who was appointed coach of the Australian Down Syndrome team in 2014, 2016 and 2018, said.
“To coach this national team and for four of our athletes to qualify is a highlight of my career.”
Having been awarded Disability Coach of the GSC captain Bradley Doolan, along with Down Syndrome world record holder Phoebe Mitchell and Australian Special Olympics gold medalist Madeline Fox, have represented Australian on previous occasions.
Ryan McGrane will join the team having recently returned from the Australian Special Olympics in Hobart where he claimed gold in 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m breaststroke.
The team of GSC athletes will be supported by the GSC Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by the club to support swimmers with disability to overcome barriers to participation.
